Center sills construction for freight cars



Nov. 21, 1939 J. J. TATUM CENTER SILLS CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT CARS 2Sheewts-Sheet ,1 f

Filed Aug. 8, 1938 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY. 1.

Nov. 21,1939. J. J. TA1-'UM L I2,180,450

CENTER SILLS CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT CARS I Filed Aug. 8, 195e '2sheets-sheet 2 i i I i I I l J ATTORNEY.

- INVENToR.

- Patented Nov. 21, 1939 PATENT EF'ieE CENTER SILLS CONSTRUCTION FOR AFREIGHT CARS John J. Tatum, Baltimore, Md.

Application August 8, 1938, Serial No. 223,732

1 claim. (c1. 10a-416) V While I have for purposes of illustrating myinvention shown a cushion and coupler gear for freight cars of theDuryea type, it will, of course,

be understood that my invention may be applied to any shape of centersills construction of the conventional type of underframe Whereadditional strength is needed.

The usual center sills construction embodies spaced rolled beams havingwebs and flanges extending from the side of the webs. It is customary toapply cover plates to the top or bottom of the sills, but these top andbottom plates cannot be utilized on that portion of the center sillsconstruction which is designed to move in the bolster of the car in thedraft and buffer actions of the cushion and coupling gear. Therefore, itisnecessary to increase the strength of the center sills from end to endbecause of the weakness of the center sills construction in that portionof the center sills construction that is designed to slide in thebolster in the draft and bulng action of the cushion and coupler gear.In other words, the center sills construction is stronger in those zoneswhich have the top and bottom plates. The object of my invention is toprovide means for reinforcing the center sill construction in that zonewhich moves in the draft and bufng actions of the gear in the bolsterwhereby the entire center sill construction may be lessened in weightand cost whereby the cost and weight of the car to which it is appliedis reduced, and with this and other objects in view my inventionconsists of the parts and combination of parts hereinafter pointed out.In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical detail sectional view of a cushion and couplergear for freight cars.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a center sill. Figure 3 is a verticalsection on the line Y-Y, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line X-X, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form ofreinforcement. Figure 6 is a section on the line E-E, Figure 1. Thecenter sills I are provided with top and bottom flanges 2. cover plates3 and bottom plates l. However, these bottom and top plates cannotextend the entire length of the center sill, but must be omitted fromthe center sill in that zone of the sill which moves in buiflng anddraft actions whereby the center sill is of less strength in that zonethan in the remaining length thereof, and it is the object of myinvention to strengthen the center sills in this zone and to prevent thesill from buckling under heavy train service ln switching yards and intrain movement.'

Broadly, my invention consists in strengthenlng the center sillsconstruction in the zone there- 5 of which moves in the body bolster 5,and I accomplish this by securing to the web and anges of the sillsserpentine shaped corrugated reinforcement 6, said reinforcement, asshown in Figures 3 and 4, being secured to the web and l0 flanges of thesills. In` this instance the reinforcement is secured by Welding'.

In Figure 5 the reinforcement 'l has deeper corrugations and is securedby means of plug, weld or rivets 8 to the web and by a weld 9 to the 15flange. The top of the corrugation IB and the ends of the corrugation Ilare flattened whereby the reinforcementwlll not only function toreinforce the strength of the center sill in the bolster zone, but willalso function as a guiding 20 means for the center 'sills through thebolster. Therefore, when this type .of reinforcement is used it is notnecessary to use the side guiding plate I2 shown in Figure 3.

This reinforcement can be made of pressed l25 shapesor it-can be rolledto the desired shape and attached in its substantial manner mechanicallyto the outer face of the web of the center sills either by riveting,welding or boltlng. This form of reinforcement can be applied to any 30shape'of center sill on any kind of car that may be equipped with theDuryea cushion underframe, or the conventional' type of underframe whereadditional strength is needed in the manner mentioned. 35

My method of reinforcement oi cushion underframes makes it possible touse a lighter weight center sill section for the entire length of thecar and can be readily applied to a location of such center sills whereheaviest or greatest strains may 40 centrallze and provide the neededreinforcement at such point or location.

What I claim is: I

A center sills construction for railroad cars embodying channeled beamseach having a cor- 45 rugated reinforcement disposed within the channeland secured to the web and flanges thereof, each reinforcement having aplurality of outwardly facing corrugations formed with flattened apexfaces lying in the plane of the i'ree'edges of 50 the beam andfunctioning as guides in the movement of the sill in a car bolster.

JOHN J.4 TATUM.

